OS X Lion, Mountain Lion updated with security and battery life fixes

Apple today released updates to the last two major versions of Mac OS X, Lion and Mountain Lion. The Lion update to 10.7.5 brings Gatekeeper, a security feature that was already in the newer Mountain Lion software, and general fixes. The Mountain Lion update to 10.8.2 brings new Facebook and Game Center features, and (we hope) improvements to battery life.

Apple doesn't actually mention battery life in the 10.8.2 release notes, as is its wont, but independent testing by Mac Observer indicates that 10.8.2 solves the laptop battery life problems seen in previous versions of Mountain Lion. The testing was based on prerelease builds of 10.8.2, so it may not be the final word.

The 10.8.2 feature updates include more sharing options for Game Center as well as single sign-on to Facebook, the addition of Facebook as an option for sharing links and photos, and Facebook notifications in the OS X Notification Center. One new integration with the iPhone requires the just-released iOS 6, namely that "iMessages sent to your phone number now appear in Messages on your Mac." 10.8.2 also technically brings Power Nap support to the late 2010 MacBook Air, but in order to use all of its functionality MacBook Air owners need to download a required SMC update that's not available for the 2010 model as of this writing.

As mentioned, OS X Lion 10.7.5 adds support for Gatekeeper, which blocks installation of applications not signed with the Developer ID Apple issues to developers. Users can adjust the settings to be more permissive and allow any application to be installed. Further improvements in 10.7.5 include a fix for a problem where Launchpad icons become rearranged after a restart; improved WiFi reliability for iMac models from late 2009 and beyond; a fix to a problem in using Spotlight to search an SMB server; and improved compatibility connecting to Active Directory servers.

10.8.2 can be downloaded from the Mac App Store, while 10.7.5 can be downloaded through the Mac's traditional software update process. Since Mountain Lion is much newer than Lion, it's not surprising that the Mountain Lion update has a much longer list of new features. The full list is here.

Promoted Comments

The SMC update for MacBook Air (Late 2010) is now available at http://support.apple.com/downloads/#macbookair without it, you won't get PowerNap. Confused me mightily, since there was no mention of the update in the documentation (hah!) for 10.8.2

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I agree. I don't know if the app store is just more heavyweight than the old update process or not, but it feels slower.

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I don't understand your problem. They just combined updaters for the OS and software from two updaters into one . If you hit Software Update it bypasses the App Store screen and shows you all the updates to install. Nobody is forcing you to buy ANY apps. Just launch the app store and go to the update tab. I really have no idea why this is a problem. Its the same update process underneath.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

I don't understand your problem. They just combined updaters for the OS and software from two updaters into one . If you hit Software Update it bypasses the App Store screen and shows you all the updates to install. Nobody is forcing you to buy ANY apps. Just launch the app store and go to the update tab. I really have no idea why this is a problem. Its the same update process underneath.

It almost makes me think he actually hasn't use the new process. For me, it's *less* obtrusive than the old updater, which would pop up in front of my screen before and after every install.

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I don't understand your problem. They just combined updaters for the OS and software from two updaters into one . If you hit Software Update it bypasses the App Store screen and shows you all the updates to install. Nobody is forcing you to buy ANY apps. Just launch the app store and go to the update tab. I really have no idea why this is a problem. Its the same update process underneath.

I do think it's odd to have operating system updates listed alongside minor app updates. You could have a new version of Mountain Lion in the same notification as a new version of some Pac-Man clone I might have installed and never played. I'd rather have separate notifications for app updates and OS updates, so I don't feel compelled to check the app store every time I see that red notification number.

Does anyone know if using the Facebook integration is safe? I'd like to be able post pictures up for family, but not if there's *any* chance that Facebook will have access to anything on my laptop. Said another way, does anyone know if the Facebook integration is Push-only (from me to them)?

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

The Mac update did not go as smooth as hoped; when the system restarted, the screen looked all fuzzed with the colors all messed up, most likely a driver issue. I carefully restarted it and then it got fixed. That was a close one, careful for those Mid 2010 Macbook Pro owners.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

I have three monitors and two video cards in a Mac Pro. Each video card has a DisplayPort and a DVI out. Using two DisplayPorts and one DVI, one DisplayPort monitor just stopped showing a proper image. My solution was to switch one DisplayPort to DVI.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

Sigh, I poked around and tried option clicking here and there to no avail.The problem is that I (and as you confirmed you) didn't really BUY ML. It came with my mac. But I expect to able to upgrade my remaining macs using the license I know supposedly own. Maybe the mac came with discs or a recovery partition I don't really know. I doubt the MBA shipped with DVDs hahaha.

I'd assumed that Snow Leopard security updates were finished with Mountain Lion's release (normally Apple only updates the two most current OS X releases), however with their "yearly" release schedule the boys & girls in Cupertino must of have thought things through and kept Snow Leopard "alive" for a while longer....

Have to say it tempts me with blue scroller bars etc. to use my last image of Snow Leopard and run it for a while...(have a Mac Pro that can't go to Mountain Lion).

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I agree. I don't know if the app store is just more heavyweight than the old update process or not, but it feels slower.

+10

and half the time I get errors in the store and on the download.Its not as reliable as the previous way.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

The Mountain Lion will *only* work if you purchased a Mac in the free upgrade window time window *and* the Mac came with Lion preinstalled. Then you go to the Apple web site and enter your new Mac information and they will email you a App Store code that will allow you to purchase a license at $0 cost.

If your new computer purchase came with Mountain Lion preinstalled already, then you will have to purchase a license for $19.99 if you want to upgrade another Mac in your household.

One option is to just type in the information and serial number of the newly purchased Mac (even if it has Mountain lion) on the Apple redemption page and see whether Apple forwards a App Store code via email. If it works, type that code in to the App Store from your old mac and upgrade to Mountain lion.

I just hate that Apple is now making us go through their App Store for simple OS updates.

I'm just updating the computer's OS, not buying new apps. Just handle the update for me though an updater as has been done in the past. Don't push me to your store, I don't want to buy anything, I just want to UPDATE.

I agree. I don't know if the app store is just more heavyweight than the old update process or not, but it feels slower.

+10

and half the time I get errors in the store and on the download.Its not as reliable as the previous way.

Cosmetic errors going through the App store. I bought Lion and Mountain Lion through the App Store. I also downloaded through the App store to mi esposa's laptop (as allowed, same appleid). In "purchased software" in the App Store, we still see both Lion and Mountain listed as available for Download (as opposed to "Installed"). Seems odd.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

The Mountain Lion will *only* work if you purchased a Mac in the free upgrade window time window *and* the Mac came with Lion preinstalled. Then you go to the Apple web site and enter your new Mac information and they will email you a App Store code that will allow you to purchase a license at $0 cost.

If your new computer purchase came with Mountain Lion preinstalled already, then you will have to purchase a license for $19.99 if you want to upgrade another Mac in your household.

One option is to just type in the information and serial number of the newly purchased Mac (even if it has Mountain lion) on the Apple redemption page and see whether Apple forwards a App Store code via email. If it works, type that code in to the App Store from your old mac and upgrade to Mountain lion.

I just got an Email from Apple with some special PDF that will supposedly unlock Mountain Lion from uptodate.apple.com, you should try it too. I'm happy as hell.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

The Mountain Lion will *only* work if you purchased a Mac in the free upgrade window time window *and* the Mac came with Lion preinstalled. Then you go to the Apple web site and enter your new Mac information and they will email you a App Store code that will allow you to purchase a license at $0 cost.

If your new computer purchase came with Mountain Lion preinstalled already, then you will have to purchase a license for $19.99 if you want to upgrade another Mac in your household.

One option is to just type in the information and serial number of the newly purchased Mac (even if it has Mountain lion) on the Apple redemption page and see whether Apple forwards a App Store code via email. If it works, type that code in to the App Store from your old mac and upgrade to Mountain lion.

I just got an Email from Apple with some special PDF that will supposedly unlock Mountain Lion from uptodate.apple.com, you should try it too. I'm happy as hell. [

I just realized how spamish that sounded, I'm not a spammer, I just can't think of any other wording format rn. /quote]

Battery life on my mbpr /says/ it's longer, at ~7.5 hours. It's fully charged with 50% screen brightness with a bunch of basic apps running (chrome with lots of windows and tabs, tweetdeck, imessage etc.). It seems like 6 - 6.5 hours was typical before the update, so if I actually have another hour of battery life that would be phenomenal. I was definitely not seeing anywhere near 7 hours no matter what I did before (screen brightness really low, only one app open etc.)

EDIT: immediately after posting it's now going between 7:50 - 8:10. If they actually wrung out that much of an improvement it sure seems like they'd advertise it.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

I have the EXACT same issue, on my Retina Macbook that came with OS X 10.8.

The Mountain Lion will *only* work if you purchased a Mac in the free upgrade window time window *and* the Mac came with Lion preinstalled. Then you go to the Apple web site and enter your new Mac information and they will email you a App Store code that will allow you to purchase a license at $0 cost.

If your new computer purchase came with Mountain Lion preinstalled already, then you will have to purchase a license for $19.99 if you want to upgrade another Mac in your household.

One option is to just type in the information and serial number of the newly purchased Mac (even if it has Mountain lion) on the Apple redemption page and see whether Apple forwards a App Store code via email. If it works, type that code in to the App Store from your old mac and upgrade to Mountain lion.

I just got an Email from Apple with some special PDF that will supposedly unlock Mountain Lion from uptodate.apple.com, you should try it too. I'm happy as hell.

No snarky responses like "umm, don't sign in, hurhur" are necessary. The less I see of that logo and their weasel-y prompts to siphon my data to advertisers, the better.

You won't see any Facebook (or Twitter) in the OS at all, unless you sign in with those accounts using the Mail, etc. Preference Pane in System Preferences. I don't have Twitter, so I don't have an account logged in, and nothing in the OS shows Twitter.

No snarky responses like "umm, don't sign in, hurhur" are necessary. The less I see of that logo and their weasel-y prompts to siphon my data to advertisers, the better.

You won't see any Facebook (or Twitter) in the OS at all, unless you sign in with those accounts using the Mail, etc. Preference Pane in System Preferences. I don't have Twitter, so I don't have an account logged in, and nothing in the OS shows Twitter.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

You should be able to download it without paying again. Are you looking under your purchases? You may have to hold the option key while you hover over the download button.

He never paid for 10.8. He got it pre-installed with the MacBook Air, and wants to install it on his iMac. Don't use the iMac to download 10.8. Try using the App Store on the MBA to see if it will allow you to download 10.8. If you can, don't install it. Quit the Installer and then copy the Installer app from your Applications folder to your iMac. If that doesn't work, try booting into recovery mode on the MBA to re-install 10.8, which will re-download the installer. See if that works. However, $19 is far more reasonable than the old $129 price tag.

I would like to upgrade my imac desktop 10.7 to 10.8 as well. As far as I can see, that is legal but there's no easy way to re-download 10.8 ML from the App store. Both computers use the same Apple ID.When I click on the Mountain Lion "app", the $19.99 button changes to Buy App. I'm afraid I'll get charged as soon as I click that button... I've paid Apple enough this year, they don't need another $20.Bittorrent?

Keep in mind that you do not have a "license" to install ML on your other Macs simply because you bought a new Mac with ML. The version that you download using recovery mode on the MBA may only work on the MBA, since it is not the retail version of ML. I just thought of that since my last post. As you are aware with prior Mac purchases, the DVDs that were included with the Mac were machine-specific. They could not be used on another Mac model to re-install OS X. So the version that downloads from recovery mode might have the same software lock. So you may have to buy the "retail" version of ML for your iMac, which doesn't have a software lock for a specific Mac model.

He never paid for 10.8. He got it pre-installed with the MacBook Air, and wants to install it on his iMac. Don't use the iMac to download 10.8. Try using the App Store on the MBA to see if it will allow you to download 10.8. If you can, don't install it. Quit the Installer and then copy the Installer app from your Applications folder to your iMac. If that doesn't work, try booting into recovery mode on the MBA to re-install 10.8, which will re-download the installer. See if that works. However, $19 is far more reasonable than the old $129 price tag.

Yes. Thank you and @Gandhim3 for your tips. I'm going to try both and see what happens. You're right the $20 is reasonable, I wouldn't mind a freebie. I really do like 10.8 a lot more than 10.7 which I liked a lot more than 10.6

I don't understand your problem. They just combined updaters for the OS and software from two updaters into one . If you hit Software Update it bypasses the App Store screen and shows you all the updates to install. Nobody is forcing you to buy ANY apps. Just launch the app store and go to the update tab. I really have no idea why this is a problem. Its the same update process underneath.

It almost makes me think he actually hasn't use the new process. For me, it's *less* obtrusive than the old updater, which would pop up in front of my screen before and after every install.

Not sure what you are talking about. The previous Software Update app never popped up before and after every install. The default setting was to check weekly, and if there was new software, it prompted one time for you to install updates. After the updates were installed, it never popped up again, until another update was available, after the 7 day period.

The new App Store Software Update is the worst feature of ML. It is full of bugs. The App Store itself is full of bugs. For example, my 2011 iMac which shipped with SL still shows both Lion and ML as not installed when ML is installed (both were acquired through the App Store). Both have the Download button enabled. FaceTime is installed, but still shows Download. When 10.8.2 was released today, the App Store didn't list it. It only listed an app that needed an update. The App Store didn't even let me know that the specific app had an update available. Photo Stream is functional in iPhoto 9.3.2. However, in the iCloud Pref Pane, it says to update. Using the Check for Update in iPhoto says 9.3.2 is the latest version. Using the App Store app, it shows 9.4 as the latest version. However, the App Store never prompted me to download iPhoto when I updated to 10.8.2. The settings in System Prefs are to check for updates and download when new updates become available. It rarely ever works, and it didn't work today when there were updates available. I had to launch the app store manually to get the updates after I read about them online. The previous method worked, and it wasn't obtrusive at all with the small window that appeared telling you there is an update. Now I have to open the App Store, click on Updates to force it to check, and then I have to enter my Apple ID to get them. Never had to do that before. So it is more obtrusive with the large App Store window and the forced requirement to enter my Apple ID.